Now that you have been given a Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis, accepting, understanding and managing the disease is your next important step.
Recognizing early arthritis symptoms and getting an accurate rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis are an important part of preventing joint damage and managing arthritis symptoms. There are over 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions. While symptoms can vary, there are certain signs and symptoms that point to the disease. Your doctor can help to identify these signs and develop a pain management plan that is designed to minimize your specific pain and improve the function of your joints.
Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune inflammatory type of arthritis and affects approximately 2.1 million Americans (three times as many women as men). It is classified as an autoimmune disease because certain immune cells malfunction and attack a person’s own body. Rheumatoid arthritis typically begins in middle age, but children and young adults can also develop the disease. People of all races and ethnic backgrounds can develop the disease. The exact cause of the disease is still unknown but researchers are working to gain a better understanding of how the immune system and genetic factors affect the inflammatory processes that cause rheumatoid arthritis to develop.
Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
While no two cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis are the same, there are some common signs and symptoms of the disease.
- Joint pain, joint swelling, joint stiffness, and warmth around the affected joint
- Morning stiffness that lasts one or more hours
- Symmetrical pattern of affected joints, meaning the same joint on both sides of the body is affected (e.g., both knees)
- Small joints in the hands and feet are characteristically involved, although any joint can be affected
- Rheumatoid nodules (firm lumps under the skin), found on elbows and hands of about one-fifth of rheumatoid arthritis patients
- Fatigue and noticeable loss of energy
- Low grade fevers and sometimes flu-like symptoms
- Loss of appetite, weight loss, anemia associated with chronic diseases, depression
- Dry eyes and dry mouth associated with a secondary condition called Sjogren’s syndrome
- Joint deformity and instability from damage to cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and bone
- Limited range of motion in affected joints
- Flares and remission of disease activity is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis may have systemic effects (i.e., affect the organs of the body)
See Arthritis Pain Treatment or Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments for pain management options.
Important Tips
- Don’t ignore pain that persists.
- Don’t assume you simply injured yourself.
- Ask your doctor to refer you to a rheumatologist (a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid diseases).
- When you consult your rheumatologist, always discuss symptoms that have improved or worsened, as well as any new symptoms.
